Detecting means for weft selecting means



p 1970 E. H. SPEARMAN 3,528,460

DETECTING MEANS FOR WEFT SELECTING MEANS Filed Feb. 28, 1969 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR EARNEST H. SPEARMAN B Q N m ATTORNHS p 15, 1970I E. H. SPEARMAN 3,528,460

DETECTING MEANS FOR WEFTSELEGTING MEANS Filed Feb. 28, 1969 3Sheets-Sheet 2 1/044 [i 5 SI Fl INVENTOR EARNEST H. SPEARMAN p 1970 E.H. SPEARMAN 3,528,460

DETECTING MEANS FOR WEFT SELECTING MEANS Filed Feb. 28, 1969 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Lfi mu [/8 :3 Ail 20 T INVENTOR Fl EARNEST H. SPEARMANATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,528,460 DETECTING MEANS FOR WEFTSELECTING MEANS Earnest H. Spearman, Blacksburg, S.C., assignor toWendell Mills, Inc., Blacksburg, S.C., a corporation of South CarolinaFiled Feb. 28, 1969, Ser. No. 803,184 Int. Cl. D03d 47/38 US. Cl.139336.4 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present inventionincludes a presentation mechanism employable with a shuttleless loom,wherein various selected wefts are presented to the rapier of the loom.Each weft source in preferably mounted with the lever operably afiixedto a solenoid. Upon the closing of a circuit as directed by the dobbymechanism to the solenoid, the position of the lever will be changed soas to present a particular weft thereon to the rapier. Integral to thecircuit between the solenoid in its activating switch, is a circuitdependent upon the retraction number of the solenoid. In the event ofmalfunction due to improper orientation of the solenoid, the secondarycircuit will be closed, causing the loom to shut down.

The present invention relates to a control for multiple weftpresentation in shuttleless looms.

Various shuttleless looms have been known in the past. Such loomsusually provide a rapier or gripper which passes through the shed ofdivided warp threads to draw a weft taken from a supply adjacent theshed.

Oftentimes it is desireable that various colors of weft be woven andvarious devices have been developed to present, in predeterminedsequence certain of the wefts to the rapier. In order to accomplish suchpresentation the positioning of the weft must be correlated to the dobbyor shedding mechanism on the loom.

The methods and mechanisms heretofore known for proper weft presentationhave been generally mechanically oriented devices employing such devicesas flexible cables, pulleys, pall and ratchet combinations or springactuatable arrangements.

More recently electric or electro-mechanical arrangements have beendeveloped however these devices have been generally expensive ofmanufacture and not readily adaptable for use with existing looms.

Mechanically oriented devices oftentimes reacted too slowly due to thetime lapse caused in overcoming inertial forces. In addition, cableconnections which in many devices acted as the connectors between thedobby mechanism and the weft presentation equipment were subject towear, distortion or malfunction, requiring regular maintenance and/orconstant adjustments.

Another problem related to proper weft presentation has been that ofdetecting the absence of proper weft alignment and shutting down theloom. I

Devices presently employed for such purpose generally deal withdetection devices, oftentimes on the rapier itself adapted to react tothe presence or absence of a weft on the rapier. While these devicesserve an advantageous purpose they provide rather complex circuitry inorder to determine the presence or absence of the dedesired weft.Additionally the various thicknesses of wefts may have an undesireableefiect on such mechanisms.

According to the present invention there is provided means employablewith a shuttleless loom adaptable for presentation of various weftswherein the weft presentation is electronically controlled andactuatable by the dobby mechanism. The loom is adapted to shut down inthe event of a failure of response of the weft presentaice tion means,wherein the failure of a weft presenting member to react as directedwill effect an immediate shutting down of the loom.

The present invention generally provides for the separate lever mountingof various wefts, with each lever operably affixed to a solenoid. Uponthe closing of a circuit as directed by the dobby mechanism to thesolenoid, the position of the lever will be changed so as to present theparticular weft thereon to the rapier. Integral to the circuit betweenthe solenoid and its activating switch is a circuit, dependent upon theretraction member of the solenoid. In the event of malfunction due toimproper orientation of the solenoid the loom will shut down.

Although such novel feature or features believed to be characteristic ofthe invention are pointed out in the claims, the invention and themanner in which it may be carried out may be further understood byreference to the description following and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a shuttleless loom. including the weftselecting control of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken away of the dobby control of aloom including the weft control of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation partly broken away of a weft presentationcontrol of the present invention showing the thread spools mispositionedfor clarity.

FIG. 3a is a side elevation of an alternate weft presentation control ofthe present invention showing the thread spools mispositioned forclarity.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a circuit for one weft shown innon-actuated position.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the circuit of FIG. 4 actuated to presenta weft.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the circuit of FIG. 4 actuated andshutting down the loom.

Referring now to the figures in greater detail, where like referencenumbers denote like parts in the various figures.

In FIG. 1, a shuttleless loom 1 is illustrated. Various forms ofshuttleless looms are presently in use however, certain general featuresare common to all such devices. The Warp threads 2 are generallypresented at right angles to a rapier 3 or gripper, shown in FIG. 1within the rapier mount 4. A weft thread supply and oftentimes aplurality of wefts 5 are spaced apart from shed formed by the waysthreads 2. Weft presentation means 6 oftentimes referred to as a colormotion, presents the selected warp thread 2 to the rapier .3 upon thepassage of the rapier through the shedding. After the desired pick bythe rapier 3 has been made the shed is changed. A shedding mechanism ordobby 7 is generally provided on looms for the production of fabrics ofcomplicated structure, such as where various thicknesses or color ofwefts are desired.

The dobby mechanism 7 is operably connected to the Weft presentationmeans 6 so as to correlate weft 5 presentation and the shedding asprogrammed through the dobby 7.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the present invention provides a switchingmechanism 8 more particularly shown in FIGS. 4-6 within the dobbymechanism 7 actuatable by selective head jacks 9 within the dobby 7. Theswitching mechanism 8 includes a plurality of switches and safetyswitches generally referred to as 10 disposed so as to lie in the pathof selected head jacks 9 when the head jacks 9 are actuated asprogrammed by the dobby 7 during the shedding operation. Thus existingdobby motions may be employed since a feature of a plurality of suchdevices presently in use includes reciprocating motions by levers, headjacks or the like, which may be employed as actuating means.

In FIGS. 1-3, four wefts 5 and four switching arrangements 10 areindicated. It is readily apparent that the number shown is merelyillustrative and that the present invention may be employed for adilfering number of wefts.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conductor 11 leads from each switch 10 tothe weft presentation means 6. Referring to FIG. 3, each conductor 11 isin circuit with a solenoid 12.

The solenoids 12 are mounted on the weft presentation means 6 and eachaffixed to a separate weft lever 13. The extension and/r retraction ofeach solenoid plunger 14 thus controls the positioning of the weftcarried through eyelet 15 on the lever 13. As shown in FIG. 3, theinterconnection between the plunger 14 and the lever 13 may be directand if desired, the same may be a unitary device. In FIG. 3a the plunger14 is connected through linkage 16 to the lever 13, which guides 17properly disposing the linkage 16.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate sequentially the actuation of each of thesolenoids 12. The switching arrangement hereinbefore referred toincludes a primary switch S1 positioned so as to lie in an intersectingplane to the path of an actuated head jack 9 to close the primarycircuit 18 to the solenoid 12.

Spaced apart from switch S1 and lying along an intersecting plane to thepath of the actuated head jack 9 is the switch S2 of the secondarycircuit 19. Switch S2 is so positioned as to be actuatable by the headjack 9 at a point along the path of the actuated head jack 9 subsequentto the closing of the circuit by the switch S1.

An additional switch, S3 is provided for the secondary circuit 19. Suchswitch S3 is controlled by the reciprocating plunger 14 of the solenoid12, there being a mechanical linking, such as by arm 20 between theplunger 14 and the switch S3.

Thus as shown in FIG. 5, upon actuation of the head jack 9, the primarycircuit 18 to the solenoid 12 is closed by the switch S1 and the plunger14 is retracted. In retracted position the plunger 14 will orient theselected weft to the proper position to be picked by the rapier. Uponthe return of the head jack 9 to its initial position, the switch S1will open the primary circuit 18 and the plunger 14 will extend.

Upon retraction of the plunger 14, the switch S3 which is in closedposition when the plunger 14 is extended, opens the secondary circuit19.

The head jack 9 subsequent to actuating the switch S1 of the primarycircuit 18, closed the switch S2 of the secondary circuit 19. However asshown in FIG. 5 the secondary circuit 19 remains open due to the openingof the switch S3 by the solenoid plunger 14 causing the switch S3 tobreak circuit.

However, if at any time, such as illustrated in FIG. 6, the solenoid 12plunger 14 does not retract upon the closing of the switch S1, then boththe switches S2 and S3 of the secondary circuit 19 will be closed,completing the secondary circuit 19 and shutting down the loom, asindicated in FIG. 6 by closing the circuit 19 through holding relay 21on the loom by opening the relay 21. It

should be noted that holding relays or similar devices having thecapabilities to so shut down the loom are generally found on existinglooms and easily made a part of the aforedescribed circuitry.

Since each solenoid is separately controlled by its own primary circuit18, in the event of malfunction of any of the weft presentationmechanisms, the loom will shut down.

The terms and expressions which are employed are used as terms ofdescription; it is recognized, though that various modifications arepossible within the scope of the invention claimed.

Having thus described certain forms of the invention in some detail,what is claimed is: p

1. Means employable with a shuttleless loom for presentation of variouswefts comprising a plurality of primary circuits, each said primarycircuit having a related secondary circuit, each said primary circuitincluding a primary switch actuatable by the shedding means on said loomto close a circuit to a weft presentation member, and said secondarycircuit including at least two switches; one of said secondary circuitswitches adapted to be closed by said shedding means subsequent to theclosing of said primary switch; the second of said secondary circuitswitches operably linked to said weft presentation member and adapted tobreak said secondary circuit upon actuation of said weft presentationmember, wherein said loom is adapted to shut down upon the closing ofsaid secondary circuit.

2. The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said weftpresentation member, includes a solenoid.

3. The invention as claimed in claim 2 wherein the plunger on each saidsolenoid is linked to a weft presenting lever.

4. The invention as claimed in claim 3 wherein said linkage includes aflexible length.

5. The invention as claimed in claim 4 further including guide means foreach said flexible length.

6. The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein said shedding mechanismis a dobby including a plurality of moveable jacks and each said primaryswitch lies in an intersecting path with a predetermined number of saidjacks.

7. The invention as claimed in claim 1 wherein said loom includes aholding relay and the closing of said secondary circuit opens saidrelay.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,977,996 4/1961 Ancet et al.139----122 3,092,150 6/1963 Brimans et al. 139--370 3,095,911 7/1963Dewas 139--370 3,237,656 3/1966 Haupt 139-122 3,282,303 11/1966 Ancet etal. 139-122 HENRY S. IAUDON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

